I stink
or, more precisely, my suit jacket stinks. Wore it to two more interviews today, on top of the two interviews I wore it to on the same day the week before last. Time for some dry cleaning. I don't expect any more interviews to be scheduled (because I don't have any more stray resumes out...), so off it goes to be cleaned and pressed and de-stinkified.
Hmmm, now that I think about it, my pattern is when I have an interview, I have two that day. That's happened three times now. Six interviews over three different days. Weird, eh?
Anyway, interview first was with a smallish civil rights, plaintiff-side employment discrimination firm. I wasn't too gung-ho about this firm because I think they spend more on their monthly rent than annual salary for their junior associates. Yes, they do have a very nice space, but it's not too large nor in the most expensive part of town; their junior associate salaries are that low.
Now, having worked for the civil rights community and in non-profits for most of my career, salaries are not the most important factor in my job-hunt. However, salary is not irrelevant either. I don't put any stock whatsoever in firms or organizations which believe that they carry enough prestige to make up for whatever they won't pay in salary. Like it's such an honor to work for your organization that I should consider myself lucky to get any salary at all when I have the priviledge of listing the name on my resume! Yeah, right. My worth and value-added to your organization is not measured by your ego or delusions of grandeur. It's not a trade-off that I'm willing to make. I'll take a lower salary for a good opportunity (e.g., I think the job would be really great or lead to interesting stuff) but not because X, Y, and Z are on the letterhead. Nope, not gonna do it. Sorry.
And that's why I wasn't so excited about this job before the interview. However, having met two of the lawyers in the firm, I am finding this opportunity more attractive. I really liked the two lawyers. We had the usual chit-chat interview stuff, but then we just joked around and told stories about our various travels. It was fun. Like, the kind of "hey, let's go grab a drink and hang out for a few hours" fun. I could see working with these folks -- and then doing social things with them as well. And that's a good thing.
So, we'll see on that one.
The second job interview was for the clerkship. The "judge" (not yet sworn-in) was a mile-a-minute-talker who clearly spends much of her life in fifth gear. Well, no doubt that's true given her upcoming transition (and her current high-level job). As a result, the interview was fast, fast, fast. I didn't feel the same "click" with her as I did with the two attorneys at the firm, but it was a nice compliment that she invited me in for an interview within half a day of my submitting my resume (especially since she told me she was only interviewing a few folks).
So, yeah, I'm good on paper -- but do I get a date?
I'm not counting on an offer... well, from anyone. But I don't think the judge will make me an offer. And that's okay. I don't know about the firm, but I think I have a better shot there.
So right now, I have no more outstanding resumes out (I've received responses to all that I've submitted). I've been to six interviews in the past month or so, and five are still pending. I didn't get an offer for the clerkship in VA -- which is fine because I didn't want the job. No, really. I didn't want to move three hours south of here for that job. And I had decided that even before I found out that the Justice Department has initiated a law suit against that particular city's police department for racial discrimination (yeah, no kidding -- great community to raise kids, eh?). It seems that if you're African American or Latino, well, your chances of getting a job working on that city's police force ain't so great.
Anyway. Five still out. I should start hearing from some of them soon. Like I said, good on paper... but so far, only the bridesmaid and not the bride.
Or something like that.
Hmmm, now that I think about it, my pattern is when I have an interview, I have two that day. That's happened three times now. Six interviews over three different days. Weird, eh?
Anyway, interview first was with a smallish civil rights, plaintiff-side employment discrimination firm. I wasn't too gung-ho about this firm because I think they spend more on their monthly rent than annual salary for their junior associates. Yes, they do have a very nice space, but it's not too large nor in the most expensive part of town; their junior associate salaries are that low.
Now, having worked for the civil rights community and in non-profits for most of my career, salaries are not the most important factor in my job-hunt. However, salary is not irrelevant either. I don't put any stock whatsoever in firms or organizations which believe that they carry enough prestige to make up for whatever they won't pay in salary. Like it's such an honor to work for your organization that I should consider myself lucky to get any salary at all when I have the priviledge of listing the name on my resume! Yeah, right. My worth and value-added to your organization is not measured by your ego or delusions of grandeur. It's not a trade-off that I'm willing to make. I'll take a lower salary for a good opportunity (e.g., I think the job would be really great or lead to interesting stuff) but not because X, Y, and Z are on the letterhead. Nope, not gonna do it. Sorry.
And that's why I wasn't so excited about this job before the interview. However, having met two of the lawyers in the firm, I am finding this opportunity more attractive. I really liked the two lawyers. We had the usual chit-chat interview stuff, but then we just joked around and told stories about our various travels. It was fun. Like, the kind of "hey, let's go grab a drink and hang out for a few hours" fun. I could see working with these folks -- and then doing social things with them as well. And that's a good thing.
So, we'll see on that one.
The second job interview was for the clerkship. The "judge" (not yet sworn-in) was a mile-a-minute-talker who clearly spends much of her life in fifth gear. Well, no doubt that's true given her upcoming transition (and her current high-level job). As a result, the interview was fast, fast, fast. I didn't feel the same "click" with her as I did with the two attorneys at the firm, but it was a nice compliment that she invited me in for an interview within half a day of my submitting my resume (especially since she told me she was only interviewing a few folks).
So, yeah, I'm good on paper -- but do I get a date?
I'm not counting on an offer... well, from anyone. But I don't think the judge will make me an offer. And that's okay. I don't know about the firm, but I think I have a better shot there.
So right now, I have no more outstanding resumes out (I've received responses to all that I've submitted). I've been to six interviews in the past month or so, and five are still pending. I didn't get an offer for the clerkship in VA -- which is fine because I didn't want the job. No, really. I didn't want to move three hours south of here for that job. And I had decided that even before I found out that the Justice Department has initiated a law suit against that particular city's police department for racial discrimination (yeah, no kidding -- great community to raise kids, eh?). It seems that if you're African American or Latino, well, your chances of getting a job working on that city's police force ain't so great.
Anyway. Five still out. I should start hearing from some of them soon. Like I said, good on paper... but so far, only the bridesmaid and not the bride.
Or something like that.
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